Is there a long-term relationship between tourism inflows and waste generation? A seasonal cointegration approach

Abstract

Most likely tourism and waste generation go hand in hand, particularly in economies dominated by tourism-related activities. This paper examines whether a sustained relationship exists between tourism measures such as the number of guests or total overnight stays, and waste generation on São Miguel Island (Azores, Portugal), using a seasonal cointegration method. This empirical approach is suitable given the high seasonality of tourism in many destinations. The results reveal a sustained link between tourism activity and municipal solid waste (MSW) production, as well as between tourism and glass waste. While cointegration is a widely used method in econometrics, we found few applications in literature that address cointegration in the presence of seasonality. Nevertheless, when working with seasonal data there is a risk of obtaining statistically significant results due to spurious relationships if such a feature is not properly addressed. The findings reveal that seasonal cointegration offers a reliable method for capturing the dynamics between tourism and waste generation and can thus serve as a useful tool for planners and policymakers seeking to optimize waste management in touristic destinations.